NEW YORK — Kevin Knox admitted he was a little surprised when the rosters for the Rising Stars Challenge were released and he wasn't on it. It would've been a meaningful accomplishment for the New York Knicks rookie, so to not make it was disappointing.

But Knox isn't overlooking the chance to go home and get some rest, either.

"It’s a good chance for me to go home and see my family, my little brothers and my little sister," Knox said before the Knicks' game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday at the Garden. "My little’s brother’s about to enter his district tournament so it’ll be a good chance for me to watch him play."

Knox, the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December, was considered a strong candidate to make the U.S. team, but ended up falling short.

The 19-year-old entered Wednesday 12.2 points per game while shooting 37.2 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three-point range.

He could go as an injury replacement for Lonzo Ball, though there's no guarantee of that happening.

"When you look at that list, there’s a lot of talented, great players on that list that they chose," Knox said. "Unfortunately I didn’t make it. But you look at it, there’s a lot of my friends on that list I like to play basketball list. They’ve got good players on there, on the World team as well. When you look at that list, I was a little bit disappointed but I was happy for those that made."

Knicks coach David Fizdale said he felt Knox had a strong shot to make the team, and doing so would have been a nice honor.

Now he believe Knox can use it as motivation.

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"That just gives him something to go after and drive after to challenge him more," Fizdale said.

As nice as it would have been to make the Rising Stars Challenge, Knox is still focused on eventually earning a big honor.

"My parents, they want me to look at it as just another chance to go out there and compete, get better, grow," Knox said. "And just learn more as a person so I can be able to make it to the real All-Star Game.